Automatic railway-alarm



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I P. CLIFFORD V AUTOMATIQ iAILWAY ALARM. No. 279,225. Patented June 12,1883.

(No Model.) 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. CLIFFORD. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY ALARM. No. 279,225. Patented June 12,1883.

fi '44 2 c] 0 5. Fly, 3. i j 19 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRANK'CLIFFORD, OF CARSON CITY, NEVADA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-ALARM.-

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,225, dated June 12, 1883,-

Application filed June 3, 1852.

T0 aZZ whom it may c0n0@rn:

Be it known that I, FRANK CLIFFORD, of Carson City, county of Ormsby, State of Nevada, have invented an Improved Automatic Railway-Alarm; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a novel automatic railway-alarm to be used at crossings; and it consists in a mechanism attached to the locomotive, preferably between the cylinder and the first driver, consisting of a revolving hub provided with peculiar forked arms, which, by coming in contact with posts placed suitably upon the side of the track, are turned to revolve a disk furnished with an eccentric groove, in which astud upon the end of a 'pitman connected through intermediate devices with the steam-whistle travels. There is a peculiar hand-connection to operate the whistle and further and minor details of construction, all of which will hereinafter fully ap pear.

The object of my invention is to prevent accidents at points where roads cross the railway-track, and this I do by sounding an alarm, which, by reason of the operating mechanism, is not dependent upon vigilance of the engineer, but is automatic in its operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 3, a section. Fig. 4 is a detail of the hub. Fig. 5 is a detail of one arm. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the plate I); Fig. 7, a plan of bifurcated end of an arm.

LetArepresenta portion of arailway-track, which is crossed by a road atthe point marked (1 Upon each side of the crossing and upon both sides of the track are upright posts B. These are preferably made of cast-iron, with a finished rounded top and an enlarged base, by which they are securely bolted to the bedpiece. Their size and height are to be regulated by circumstances, depending upon the location and construction of the devices hereinafter described.

Let 0 represent a portion of a locomotive, sufficient to show the cylinder and its front driver, or a portion thereof. To the side of the locomotive, between the cylinder and front driver, is fired upon a short shaft a hub, D.

(No model .1

This upon its inner face is cast solid, but upon its outer face is made into quadrants, in each of which is a flangesocket, (Z. (See Fig. 4.)

E represents four arms. Each of these consists of two parts, of the shape shown in Fig. 5, and when the two sections are put together they form an arm having a tapering shank, which fits in the flange-sockets d, and a flaring bifurcated end, as shown. These arms project from the hub at right angles.

Plates b cover the quadrants, and bolts 0 pass through the plates and through the meeting edges of the parts of the arms, cutting a semicircle in each and through the inner face of the hub, where they are suitably secured. Thus the parts are held together, and the arms firmly secured to the hub. Vhen damaged, they may be readily removed for the substitution of others.

The short shaft upon which the hub D is fixed carries a disk, F, in the outer face of which is made an elongated elliptical groove, 6. G is a bracket having guides 9, through which a vertical 'rod or pitman, H, passes, and is adapted to slide up and down therein.

The lower end of the pitman is provided with a stud, 71, which fits in the eccentric groove 6, and its upper end is connected by a rod, I, with the end of a rod, J which is adapted to open or close the valve operating the steam-whistle.

Against the periphery of the disk F-is a brake-block, K, held to its position by a strong spring, k. (See Fig. 2.)

The operation of the device, as far as at pres ent explained, is as follows: As the locomotive approaches the cross-road one of the arms E, which extends downward and a little forward, comes in contact with the top of the first post B. Its forked end easily straddles the top of the post, and by it is turned a quarter round. This movement turns the disk F, with its eccentric groove 6, and the stud h travels to the top of the groove, thus raisingpitman H, and through its connections opening the valve of the steam-whistle. The brake K presents sufficient resistance to prevent the disk from turning any farther when the press ure is relieved. The whistle continues to sound while the locomotive proceeds to the next post, when the next arm is turned by the a, to hold the lever forward.

post, and the pitman is drawn down to close the valve of the whistle. By these quarterturns the arms are always brought into position to be affected by the posts.

It may sometimes be necessary for the whistle which is connected with the device to be closed or opened by hand. To provide for this I have the following: Upon the inner face of disk F are cast four projections, m. These have their faces which are toward the cab straight, while their backs are inclined planes, as shown. To the bracket G is pivoted, at its center, an S-shaped lever, L,' to the upper end of which is connected a rod, N, passing back into the cab. The .rod is provided with aspiring,

The lower end of the lever L is adapted, when its upper end is drawn back,to come in contact with the straight faces of projections in, and thus to turn the disk. The projections are so placed and the stroke of the lever so adjusted that a quarter: turn of the disk is accomplished and the next projection brought into position.

Although I have described the alarm device as being located between the cylinder and the front drum, I do not confine it to that position. It may be placed in any suitable location, according to the builders judgment, and the connecting-rods may be suitably extended or directed.

The dimensions of the device must be regulated by the location and the size of the engine, and all the parts may be so placed as not to interfere with the other machinery.

The iron posts B should be of proper height to cause the arms to revolve a quarter-turn.

The lever and connections giving the engineer control of the device may be arranged to suit the position of the alarm mechanism and other machinery.

The whistle which is operated by this device may be a separate one and different in tone from that controlling the train.

Having thus described my in vention' what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The posts B upon the sides of a railwaytraek, as shown, in combination with the arms E, j ournaled upon the side of the locomotive, disk F, with its eccentric groor e e, verticallymoving pitman H, with its stud l1, traveling in said groove, and devices connecting the said pitman with" the steamwhistle of said locomotive, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The posts B upon the sides of a railwaytrack, as shown, in combination with the arms E, having bifurcated flaring ends, and secured to a central hub, D, upon a shaft j ournaled upon the side of a locomotive, disk F, with its eccentric groove 6 upon said shaft, sliding pitman H, with its stud l1, traveling in said groove, and devices connecting said pitman with the steam-whistle of the locomotive, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. The posts B upon the sides of a railwaytrack, as shown, in combination with the forked arms E, consisting each of two parts with flaring outer ends and tapering shanks, the hub D, divided into quadrants upon its outer face, in each of which is a flange-socket, d, in which the tapering shanks of the arms E fit, and provided with cover-plates Z) and securingbolts c, for the purpose described, the disk F, with its eccentric groove (2 upon the same shaft as hub D, the sliding pitman H, with its stud 71, traveling in said groove 0', and devices connecting said pitman with the steam-whistle of the locomotive, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The posts B, in combination with a hub, D, upon the locomotive, and the series of four arms, E, having flaring bifurcated ends, the disk F, with its elongated elliptical. groove 9, brake-block K, with its spring 70, pitman H, with the stud h, fitting said groove, and devices connecting said pitman with the steamwhistle of the locomotive.

' 5. The posts 13, in combination with the hub D, arms E, disk F, with its eccentric groove 0 in its outer face and its projections m upon its inner face, pitman H, with its stud 71, fitting groove c, rods J and I, connected with the pitman and withv the whistle of the locomotive, and the S-shaped lever L, rod N, and spring 02, all arranged as and for the purpose herein described. v

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

, FRANK CLIFFORD. Vitnesses:

FRED. D. TURNER, TREUMOR (701mm. 

